Locking means for window regulator mechanisms



Aug. 31, 1965 w. PoLLAK 3,203,691

LOCKING MEANS FOR WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISMS Filed July 17, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l A T TOR/VEY W. POLLAK Aug. 31, 1965 LOCKING MEANS FOR WINDOW REGULATOR MEGHANISMS Filed July 17, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A T TOR/VE? United States Patent Oftice 3,203,691 Patented Aug. 31, 1965 3,203,691 LOCKING MEANS FOR WINDOW REGULATGR MECHANISMS Walter Pollak, Detroit, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed 'July 17, 1963, Seix No. 295,757 4 Claims. (Cl. 268-126) This invention relates to locking means for window regulator mechanisms and more particularly to locking means for vehicle body window regulator mechanisms.

In the past, vehicle body window regulator mechanisms, particularly those for station wagon tail gate windows, have been provided with handle operating and locking means which include key-operated clutch means for selectively connecting and disconnecting the operating handle and the driven-spindle of the window regulator mechanism. The operating handle and the clutch means are usually located in stacked relationship and thus require a tail gate of substantial thickness to house the resulting assembly.

The window regulator locking means of this invention overcomes this disadvantage by eliminating the usual space-consuming clutch means and providing a fiat locking member disposed generally parallel to the window regulator mechanism lift arms for minimal movement laterally thereof between a locked position wherein the lift arms are locked against movement and an unlocked position wherein the lift arms are free to move upon operation of the operating handle. Key-operated actuating means for the locking member are provided separate from the operating handle and the handle is directly associated with the window regulator mechanism shaft so that a relatively thin-walled tail gate will accommodate the window regulator mechanism and the locking means therefor.

The primary object of this invention is to providenew and improved locking means for vehicle body window regulator mechanisms. Another object of this invention is to provide new and improved locking means for vehicle body window regulator mechanisms including a locking member movable laterally of a regulator arm into locking engagement therewith. A further object of this invention is to provide new and improved locking means for vehicle body window regulator mechanisms including a locking member having a plurality of locking teeth engageable with locking slots in an operating arm of the regulator mechanism upon movement of the locking member to locked position.

These and other objects of the invention will be readily apparent from the following specilication and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a rear elevational view of a station wagon body including a window regulator mechanism embodying locking means according to this invention;

CTI

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged partially broken away view f of a portion of FIGURE l showing the locking member in locked position;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 3 3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 5 5 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a View similar to FIGURE 3 showing the locking member in unlocked position; and

FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view.

Referring now to FIGURE l of the drawings, a station wagon body 10 includes a tail gate 12 hingedly mounted adjacent its lower edge on the body for movement between a closed position, as shown, and an open position, not shown. Tail gate 12 supports a window 14 for movement between open and closed positions. The tail gate is of conventional construction and generally includes an outer panel 16, an inner panel 18 and a back plate 2t) located intermediate the inner and outer panel, FIGURES 2 and 4.

A window regulator mechanism 22 for moving ythe window between open and closed positions generally includes a lift arm 24 pivotally mounted at 26 on back plate 20 and connected at the outer end thereof in a conventional manner to the lower edge of window 14. The inner end of arm 24 includes a toothed sector portion 28 which meshes with a toothed sector portion 30 of a like lift arm 32 pivotally mounted at 33 -on back plate 20 and connected to window 14 in the same manner. An outside operating handle 34, shown best in FIGURE 4, is secured to the input shaft 36 of a conventional window regulator clutch mechanism 38 mounted on back plate 20. The output pinion 40 of the clutch mechanism meshes with the sector portion 28 of lift arm 24 to drive both lift arms 24 and 32 and thereby move window 14 between open and closed positions. A counterbalance spring 41 is connected between pivot 26 and a tab 43 of the back plate 20.

Window regulator mechanism locking means are provided to selectively and alternately prevent or allow operation of the regulator mechanism by handle 34. The locking means generally comprises an elongated resilient locking member 42 of spring steel or other suitable material having a pair of legs 44 and a locking portion 46. The free end of each leg 44 is hooked so as to extend through a pair of spaced slots 48 formed adjacent a sector locating rib 50 of the back plate 20. The locking portion 46 extends through a slot 52 in the back plate so that the locking teeth 53 thereof may be engaged with complementary locking slots 54 in lift arm 24. The slots 54 are formed over an arc generally equal to the arc of travel of the lift arm 24 so that teeth 53 may be engaged with the slots in any position of the lift arm.

Locking member operating means are provided for moving member 42 between a locked position, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, wherein teeth 53 engage within slots 54, and an unlocked position as shown in FIGURE 6, wherein teeth 53 are disengaged from the slots. A conventional key cylinder 56 is mounted on outer panel 16 below handle 34 and extends inwardly thereof to be located between the legs 44. A semirigid forked cam member 58 having a cam bump 59 on each leg thereof is secured to the inner end of the rotatable shaft of cylinder 56. The legs of member 58 are disposed on opposite sides of a transversely sloping cam follower portion 60 formed on member 42. Thus, rotation of the cylinder S6 and member 58 causes the cam bumps 59 and cam follower portion 60 to move member 42 transversely of back plate 20 about the pivot connection therebetween provided by the slots 48 and the hooked ends of legs 44. As shown in FIGURE 2, and as indicated in FIGURE 7, clockwise rotation of cylinder 56 moves member 42 inwardly of the tail gate into the locked position of FIG- URE 3, and counterclockwise rotation of the cylinder moves member 42 outwardly of the tail gate into unlocked position of FIGURE 6.

When member 42 is in locked position, teeth 53 engage slots 54 and lift arm 24 is held against movement relative to back plate 20 to hold window 14 against movement from any selected position of the window.

In the event that the slots 54 are not in registry with the teeth 53 when member 42 is to be moved to locked position, such that the teeth merely engage the surface of lift arm 24, it will be apparent that the member is prer3 vented from reaching fully locked position and that the outer leg of member 58 must consequently undergo an outward resilient deformation as the key cylinder is rotated to fully locked condition. In such a circumstance, the lift arm is not positively locked against movement, but it will also be apparent that initial unauthorized movement thereof in either direction by handle 3d has to move the slots into registry with the teeth 53 such that the deformed outer leg of member 5S is permitted to move the teeth into the slots, and further unauthorized movement of the lift arm is prevented.

It will be apparent that modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment of the invention to achieve the same operating functions, and further to achieve the same self-locking feature just referred to. For example, member 42 may be formed sufficiently thin, and anchored by its legs 44 in back plate 2i) rather than hinged therein, such that it resiliently deforms as it is moved from locked to unlocked positions, rather than merely pivot relative to the back plate. In this case, member 58 should be substantially rigid with cylinder 5d such that all deformation takes place in member 42, and such that, in the event of non-registry of the locking teeth and slots, member 42 will remain suiiiciently deformed about member S3 to move the teeth into the slots upon initial movement of the lift arm as previously described.

Thus new and improved locking means for window regulator mechanisms are provided.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle body having a window mounted thereon for movement between open and closed positions, window operating means adapted to move the window, and clutch means for releasably holding the operating means in any adjusted position of the window, the combination comprising, a lift arm mounted on said body and operatively connected to said window for moving said window between said positions thereof, means including said clutch means for operatively connecting said lift arm to said operating means, a locking member mounted on said body for movement relative thereto and laterally of said lift arm between locked and unlocked positions, cooperative locking means on said lift arm and said locking member engageable in the locked position of said locking member to prevent movement of said lift arm relative to said body and movement of said operating means regardless of release of said clutch means, and means for moving said locking member between said locked and unlocked positions thereof.

2. In a vehicle body including a window mounted thereon for movement between open and closed positions, the combination comprising, a regulator lift arm pivotally mounted on said body for movement relative thereto and being operatively connected adjacent one end thereof to said window for moving said window between said positions thereof, said lift arm including gear sector means on the other end thereof, regulator operating means operatively connected to said sector means for moving said lift arms, said operating means including clutch means for releasably holding said operating means in any adjusted position of the window, a locking member mounted adjacent one end thereof on said body for movement relative thereto and laterally of said lift arm between locked and unlocked positions, a plurality of locking teeth on the other end of said locking member and projecting laterally thereof toward said lift arm, locking slot means on said lift arm intermediate the pivot thereof on said body and said sector means and being adapted to be engaged by said loclting teeth in the locked position of said locking member to prevent movement of said lift arm relative to said body, and means for moving said locking member between said locked and unlocked positions thereof.

3. In a vehicle body having a window mounted thereon for movement between open and closed positions, window operating means adapted to move the window, and clutch means for releasably holding the operating means in any adjusted position of the window, the combination comprising, a lift arm pivotally mounted on said body and being operatively connected adjacent one end thereof to said window for moving said window between said positions thereof, said lift arm including gear sector means on the other end thereof, means including said clutch means for operatively connecting said sector means to said operating means, a locking member mounted adjacent one end thereof on said body for movement relative thereto and laterally of the said lift arm between locked and unlocked positions, a plurality of locking teeth on the other end of said locking member and projecting laterally thereof toward said lift arm, locking slot means on said lift arm intermediate the pivot thereof on said body and said sector means, said locking teeth being engageable with said locking notch means in the locked position of said locking member to prevent movement of said lift arm relative to said body and movement of said operating means regardless or" release of said clutch means, and means for moving said locking member between said locked and unlocked positions thereof.

4. in a vehicle body including an outer body panel, a support member spaced interiorly from said outer panel, and a window movable between open and closed positions, the combination comprising, window regulator means for moving said window between said positions thereof and including a lift arm located to an interior side of the plane of said support member and being movably mounted on said support member and operatively connected to said window, said regulator means including clutch means for releasably holding the regulator means in any adjusted position of the window, a locking member located to the exterior side of the plane of said support member and being mounted adjacent one end thereof on said support member for movement about said one end generally laterally of said support member between locked and unlocked positions, first locking means on the other end of said locking member movable across the plane of said support member during said lateral movement of said locking member, second locking means on said lift arm adapted to be engaged by said first locking means in the locked position of said locking member to prevent movement of said lift arm relative to said support and movement of said window in either direction between said positions thereof, cam follower means on said locking member intermediate the ends thereof, a cam member rotatable in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said support member and engageable with said cam follower means, and locking member operating means mounted on said outer panel and operable independently of operation of said window regulator means to selectively rotate said cam member and move said locking member between said locked and unlocked positions thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,146,638 2/39 Magid 26S-126 HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A VEHICLE BODY HAVING A WINDOW MOUNTED THEREON FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, WINDOW OPERATING MEANS ADAPTED TO MOVE THE WINDOW, AND CLUTCH MEANS FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING THE OPERATING MEANS IN ANY ADJUSTED POSITION OF THE WINDOW, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, A LIFT ARM MOUNTED ON SAID BODY AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID WINDOW FOR MOVING SAID WINDOW BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS THEREOF, MEANS INCLUDING SAID CLUTCH MEANS FOR OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID LIFT ARM TO SAID OPERATING MEANS, A LOCKING MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID BODY FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO AND LATERALLY OF SAID LIFT ARM BETWEEN LOCKED AND UNLOCKED POSITIONS, COOPERATIVE LOCKING MEANS IN THE LOCKED POSITIONS OF SAID LOCKING MEMBER ENGAGEABLE IN THE LOCKED POSITION OF SAID LOCKING MEMBER TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF SAID LIFT ARM RELATIVE TO SAID BODY AND MOVEMENT OF SAID LIFT ARM RELATIVE TO SAID OF RELEASE OF SAID CLUTCH MEANS, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID LOCKING MEMBER BETWEEN SAID LOCKED AND UNLOCKED POSITIONS THEREOF. 